1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods for manufacturing cockpit-type instruments panels.
2. Background Art
As is known in the art, automobile, and airplane manufacturers use an assembly line process to construct their products. One development in the assembly of vehicles is the compartmentalization of different portions of the vehicle or plane into prefabricated assemblies. Cockpit-type instrument panels are typically made as prefabricated assemblies.
A cockpit-type instrument panel is the prefabrication of the portion of a vehicle between the operator and the engine and includes the structures and electronics for the firewall, steering column, foot pedals, instrument panel, cross car beam, air bag assembly, stereo, HVAC, tubing, and the like in a singular cockpit assembly. The cockpit is assembled and delivered as a completed product to the assembly line for installation in the vehicle.
Prefabrication of the cockpit is a complex assembly process. Accordingly, it is desirable to improve the methods of manufacturing the components that comprise the cockpit, such as the firewall, steering column, foot pedals, instrument panel, cross car beam, air bag assembly, stereo, HVAC, tubing, and the like. One area addressed by the invention is the manufacturing of a modular cockpit plate section that interfaces with, or otherwise defines a portion of, the firewall. By incorporating all the components into a single cockpit, the automotive assembly plan does not have to concern itself with all the individual components.
The firewall is typically a solid structure that extends the width of the vehicle to separate the engine compartment from the passenger compartment and includes a number of apertures/openings for components on the passenger side to communicate with components on the engine side. One such aperture is located directly in front of the driver and around the steering column and foot pedals. A modular plate is secured to the firewall to cover this aperture and includes its own apertures/openings through which the steering column and foot pedals extend for communicating with the engine side. Accordingly, there exists a need for a method of manufacturing a modular plate section of a cockpit-type instrument panel that interfaces with, or otherwise defines, a portion of the firewall.
The purpose of a firewall is to prevent the noise, dirt, heat, fumes, and other elements of the engine compartment from entering into the passenger compartment. The outer periphery of the modular plate and the apertures within the modular plate for the steering column and foot pedals create seams and gaps through which the elements of the engine compartment can enter into the passenger compartment.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method of manufacturing a modular plate section of a cockpit-type instrument panel with seals formed about the outer periphery and apertures of the modular plate.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method for manufacturing a cockpit-type instrument panel including a modular plate.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method of manufacturing a modular plate section of a cockpit-type instrument panel with seals formed about the outer periphery and apertures of the modular plates.
In one aspect of the invention, the method includes providing a two-shot injection molding mold. The mold is injected with two shots of molding materials. The first shot injects material into the mold for forming a modular plate that has an outer peripheral rim and at least one aperture. The second shot injects material into the mold for simultaneously forming one seal about the outer peripheral rim and a second separate seal about the at least one aperture.
In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the method is for manufacturing a modular plate into a completed product that is adaptable to be secured to a firewall of a prefabricated cockpit assembly. The completed modular plate has seals for sealing gaps in and around the modular plate so that the modular plate and the cockpit components contacting and extending through the modular plate are substantially sealed for preventing the noise, dirt, heat, fumes, and other elements of an engine compartment from entering into a passenger compartment. Accordingly, the method comprises injecting a first type of material during a first shot of two-shot injection molding process into a two-shot injection molding mold to form the modular plate with an outer rim and a plurality of apertures. The method further comprises injecting a second type of material during a second shot of the two-shot injection molding process after a cam of the injection molding mold has been actuated to create relief cavities into which the second material flows to simultaneously form separate seals about the outer rim and at least one of the apertures.
In yet other aspects of the invention, the cockpit can be used in automobiles, planes, and other devices. The seals can be rubber, plastic, or other material suitable for injection molding and can be formed into both uniform and non-uniform cross-sectional profiles and configurations. For example, the seal can be beaded, ribbed, elliptical, or a mixture of these and other geometries. The modular plate is a completed product that can be inserted into an assembly process for manufacturing a prefabricated cockpit assembly.